The Hook-up

Chapter 123

After Presley sat at the table looking at dresses, the large group headed to Bruno's mother's house where they were all going to see her reaction to their news.

"Do you think we could get dad over there, like for a few minutes?" Eric asked.

"I don't see why it would be a problem...." Bruno said. "It would help to not have to say all this one other time." He responded looking at Lauren who was staring out the window. "Is that okay, Laur?" he asked her reaching for a piece of her hair.

"Huh?" she turned to look at everyone. "Yeah. Yeah. That's fine." She answered half listening to the siblings talk about what was going to happen. She vaguely heard Bruno talking to his dad who said he would meet them at their mother's house. Lauren still didn't completely understand the relationship or the relationship breakdown of Bruno's parents. They seemed to get along when she saw them together, but she could also feel the emanating tension that they both had with each other. She felt the same tension from Bruno at times. Times when she knew he was upset; she could clearly tell he got that from his father. A few minutes later they pulled up to his mother's new house that she remembered spending the night in just 7 months earlier. Bruno reached for her to help her out of the car leaning toward her ear to whisper something.

"It won't take long. We can go to bed soon, boo." He told her squeezing her hand rubbing the side of the band of her engagement ring. She smiled at the feeling of him being so close to her.

"Okay..." she responded. "It's okay though. I think I'll make it."

"I think you will, too." He said suddenly bombarded by his aunts, uncles and cousins who simultaneously hugged Lauren catching her off guard. Bruno felt Lauren tense at all the attention thanking everyone for coming to say hello followed by pulling her off to the side so she could sit next to his sisters. Lauren sat with them quietly discussing their unannounced plans. They spoke about the colors, the atmosphere and the things she wanted that were carefully packed away at home. They spoke until Bernie ran up to Lauren presenting her with a special plate of food.

"He said this was all food you love...and we're making him is favorite that I know you can't stand the smell of, so, we made you something special." She explained.

"Oh my gosh. It's all so perfect!" Lauren gushed following everyone to the table. Lauren took a seat in the middle of Bruno and one of his cousins and watched them all reach for the food they wanted. As people started grabbing they heard Bruno's father come into the house. He walked in as if there wasn't anything particularly special about the evening.

"Well, well. I see that you all couldn't wait to eat without me." He half smiled sarcastically.

"We were going to wait...." Bernie said to him handing her grandson a plate of cut up food.

"It's fine, it's fine. All that matters is that my son and his beautiful fiancé are here!" he laughed hugging both of them the same way everyone else had.

"When are we going to tell them?" Lauren asked through her teeth. "I feel like something is going to happen..."

"It probably will..." Bruno told her. He sounds like Bruno when he's in a bad mood. She thought to herself preparing herself for a first-hand experience within the Hernandez household. All the children watched Pete take a seat at the far end of the table where it looked like he always sat reaching for food as everyone continued to talk.,

"I am so happy that the two of you are here. Bruno, you have needed a break for a while now." His mother said to them.

"Thank Elle for telling me I had to come out." Bruno smiled.

"I had vacation days and I wasn't going to waste them at home." She laughed.

"Well, it's a good place for you to use the vacation days." Bernie responded.